PREMIERE: Jacob Whitesides – ‘God Took A Bow’

April 24, 2020

It’s New Music Friday and I’m starting things off with a premiere of Jacob Whitesides’ ‘God Took A Bow’. This was one track I could not wait to share as Jacob sings so beautifully on this Pop masterpiece.

What I love most about it, is Jacob’s openness as he wrote this song following a long break-up. He spent months discovering who he was and was inspired by his current girlfriend and the eye-opening beauty that he discovered when they first met.

Hear it for yourself

I also got the chance to ask Jacob a few questions about how is he dealing with life now and about his forthcoming EP, check out what he had to say.

How are you coping right now given what is going on in the world?

I’ve been forcing myself to stay creative despite a lack of inspiration. I write about things that go on in my everyday life. And when you’re inside every single day doing a lot of nothing, that becomes more challenging. I revisited a lot of old songs, created some brand new ones, and have just tried my best to create entertainment for people who I know are stressed out, tired, sick, etc. I want them to be able to distract themselves even if it’s just a minute. I want provide some relief and ease of mind.

Tell me about the track, what is it about?

“God Took A Bow” was inspired by a very nostalgic night of just driving around with someone I really loved. One of my favorite things to do is nothing, and that’s all we did. I think when you do things as simple as driving around in the middle of the night listening to music with nowhere to go, it creates a distraction free environment to just be with someone and appreciate them in new ways. I’m not really religious, but I’d like to think whatever created this person spent a little extra time and they very proud of the outcome.

Was it difficult for you, writing your emotions down on paper and putting it into song?

It’s never hard writing down my emotions. It’s one of the only things that keeps me sane. The hard part is articulating them into unique melodies, and wording them in ways that haven’t been done before. It’s not always hard, it helps that my mind never turns off, and I’m constantly writing down and recording ideas. I’m not always inspired to sit down and actually create something when I’m going through some shit. So I just write down little ideas daily that when I’m in the mood to create something, I have plenty of ideas and I’m not having to make anything up.

When does your EP drop? And tell me about it. The themes, the production process, etc.

The EP drops on May 15th, and it’s one I’m most proud of. It really is the EP I wanted to create since the beginning of my career, but it took a lot of time to figure out exactly how to do it. It’s easy now that I can call the shots for my own career, and I can’t be micromanaged in any way when it comes to the art itself. I love productive criticism and feedback, but when it comes to the music itself, I like to be fully in control. I’ve worked with the same producer (David Spencer) since the very beginning of my career, so I feel like that made the production process very simple. When you have a bond with someone for that long, you have a connection that is deeper than you even know. Dave knows exactly how I want something to sound before I even have to explain it. The production is centered around artists that I love, so it doesn’t get old to me when I’m on the road performing it for years. I’m thankful for Dave and the other people who brought my stories to life. I couldn’t have done it without them.

What did you have planned for 2020 other than the EP release?

I’m trying to get back on the road, and do another full tour. Everything is kind of up in the air right now due to the circumstances we are under. But I look forward to creating a live show with old songs, songs from this EP, and some music that hasn’t been released yet.

What is the first thing you are going to do when it is safe to be outside again?

Getting back on tour is the main goal right now. And getting a haircut.

Artists / musicians and other creatives are finding it hard to be as productive as they would like, what advice would you give them during this time?

Some things are out of our control, and we have to live with that. This won’t last forever. Rest, hydrate, and prepare to come back stronger. Your body and soul will appreciate it.

What else can fans expect from you in the coming months?

I lot of live streams, music snippets, and other content in general. I stay in constant communication with everyone that follows me and that doesn’t change no matter what. I do my best to entertain them even in times like this. I look forward to it being over, and getting back on the road to perform all these new songs. And to thank all of them in person for supporting this project.